Mountain Party Nominee Goes to Court to Join Debate
Nominee Johnson files suit against WV Broadcasters Assoc. & Clay Center
Charleston WV – Today at 1:30 PM Mountain Party nominee for Governor,
Jesse Johnson, filed a request for an injunction against the WV
Broadcasters Association and the Clay Center to compel them to include
all legally recognized and qualified candidates in their Oct. 13th
governors’ debate.
“This is the same anti-democratic debate as in 2004,” cited Jesse
Johnson, who was also the Mountain Party candidate for governor in
that election. “If we continue letting corporations ‘filter’ our
political debate, voters will go to the polls with only partial
information. We need transparency in the political process, not Big
Brother deciding who is worthy to let voters hear on televised
debates. Our founding fathers would be appalled at how our political
discourse is now controlled by commercial interests.”
“This year the WV Broadcasters’ Association has set up an ‘elite’
invitation-only debate that is merely infotainment and a disservice to
citizens who want to have all the candidates put their proposals on
the table of public airwaves. Both major party candidates are
conservative and pro-business. Let’s get some new, progressive ideas
in the debate. The Broadcasters use the public airwaves and should let
all candidates’ ideas into the mix — not just the ones they agree
with.”
“The Clay Center is a public charity and as such cannot endorse or
oppose political parties or candidates. If hosting a debate that
excludes a nominee that will appear on every ballot in the state isn’t
illegal, it should be,” Johnson concluded.
Neither of the other candidates for governor has objected to including
Johnson in the debate to be held at the Clay Center in Charleston on
the evening of October 13th. In fact, at the Charleston Gazette’s
editorial board meeting with Johnson and Governor Joe Manchin last
month, Manchin said he had no problem including all candidates in the
Broadcaster’s debate.
Note: The West Virginia Mountain Party is an affiliate of the Green
Party of the United States